This presentation was given by Tim Christophersen at a UNFCCC COP20 side-event titled "Guiding Principles for Delivering Coastal Wetland Carbon Projects” in Lima, Peru. Coastal wetland ecosystems play a significant role in sequestering and storing carbon in biomass and soils. These ecosystems, however, are facing tremendous pressure and large portion of them are already degraded due to unsustainable cuttings and aquaculture development. This panel discussed options for policy and practice for improving sustainability and realizing the full mitigation and adaptation potential of coastal wetland ecosystems.

1. From Principle to Practice
Achieving Coastal Mitigation and Adaptation Outcomes
through Demonstration Projects and Upscaling
Side Event, UNFCCC CoP 20, 9 December 2014
Tim Christophersen, Jerker Tamelander, Takehiro Nakamura, UNEP
© J Tamelander

2. Importance of coastal wetlands
Seagrass beds, mangroves, and other intertidal vegetated habitats
deliver among the highest ecosystem service values of all natural systems
Half of the world’s mangrove forest and tidal marsh area has been lost,
and the global area of seagrass has declined by a third in the past century
© J Tamelander

3. Opportunities
2011: ‘wetland drainage and rewetting’ eligible
activity under KP => step towards integration
of wetlands in future global mitigation
architecture
2013: Wetlands Supplement to the 2006 IPCC
Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas
Inventories => Parties can account for all sinks
and emissions from any wetlands
Paris CoP may agree to include blue carbon
as a whole, or certain blue carbon, in a
comprehensive accounting and crediting
framework under UNFCCC
© J Tamelander

4. Opportunities
Great potential for management and restoration
of coastal wetlands under REDD+ and NAMAs
Many REDD and NAMA readiness activities
pave the way, e.g. institutions, land inventories,
tenure allocations, policy mainstreaming
CDM methodology for mangrove afforestation
and reforestation - but excludes conservation
and generates only temporary carbon credits
Voluntary carbon markets provide ample
opportunity, e.g. >15 relevant VCS AFOLU
methodologies, > 80 individual projects
© J Tamelander

5. Distils best practice principles for
coastal wetland carbon projects
Drawing on wetlands restoration,
terrestrial carbon projects, carbon policy
and community engagement
Targeted at practitioners familiar with
carbon project and policy development
or wetlands restoration
Gives guidance on additional
requirements for successful coastal
wetland or ‘blue carbon’ interventions
Ensures intervention are feasible,
scalable, and provide intended benefits

6. Blue Carbon in UNEP’s work
Mandate
Keep the world environment under review; Catalyze and promote international cooperation and action;
Facilitate development of standards and norms; Capacity support
Medium Term Strategy 2014-2017
Climate Change; Disasters and Conflicts; Ecosystem Management; Chemicals and Wastes;
Resource Efficiency; Environmental Governance; Environment under Review
Programme of Work 2014-2015
Climate Change
a) Ecosystem-based adaptation approaches implemented and integrated into key strategies
c) Transformative REDD+ strategies and finance approaches developed and implemented
Ecosystem Management:
b) Use of ecosystem approach to sustain coastal and marine ecosystem services increased
c) Services and benefits from ecosystems integrated in development planning and accounting

7. UNEP Blue Carbon Initiative
Develop methodologies and tools for valuation of carbon and other ecosystem services
=> application in planning and management
Policy analysis and dialogue
=> adoption of methodologies, tools and policy frameworks
=> create incentives for sustainable use of blue carbon ecosystem services
Fill knowledge gaps
=> Targeted research on ecosystem services provided by coastal wetlands
Communication
=> Provide information to a wide audience, create enabling environment

8. Delivery and uptake
global community to develop tools and approaches and share lessons learned
regional adoption, dissemination and capacity building through
Regional Seas Conventions and Action Plans
national pilot testing and demonstration implementation

9. UNEP/GEF Blue Forests Project
“Blue Forests” - coastal carbon and related ecosystem services
coastal ecosystem management harnessing the values associated with carbon
sequestration and storage and other ecosystem services
USD 4.5M over 4 years, with over USD 23M cofinance
© J Tamelander

10. UNEP/GEF Blue Forests Project
Component 1. Development of guidance and methodologies for project support
Component 2. Small-scale interventions:
– Improving understanding of carbon and ecosystem services
– Improving capacity for ecosystem management of blue forests
– Target countries: Madagascar, Ecuador, Mozambique, Indonesia, UAE
– Replication and scaling-up: e.g. Kenya; Central America
Component 3. Improved understanding through targeted research
Component 4. Adoption of methodologies and approaches for greater policy
and GEF IW uptake
Component 5. Monitoring, networking and information sharing

11. Blue Forests Project Global Reach

12. • UNEP
• GRID-Arendal
• UNEP-WCMC
• Duke University
• IUCN
• Blue Ventures
• Conservation International
• WWF
• AGEDI
• Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs And Fisheries
• UNEP-ROLAC
• Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute
• US Forest Service
• South African Institute of International Affairs
• The Ocean Foundation
• NOAA
• Stockholm University
• Charles Darwin University
Blue
Forests
Project
Partners

13. www.bluecarbonportal.org